I HAVE been fortunate to come across some notable people in the course of my life, and one of these was Dr Catherine Wills. The epitome of a renaissance woman, she was an art historian, accomplished horsewoman and successful breeder and a generous, energetic and enthusiastic philanthropist.

She made a significant contribution to one part of our industry that is a major void following her death four years ago. She created the Wills Writing Prize in honour of her brother, and I was proud to have been a judge on a number of occasions. The competition produced many noteworthy winners, some of whom have gone on to successful careers in journalism and broadcasting. Another of its esteemed winners was Patrick Mullins.

I mention him especially as his family and Catherine Wills had another link. Catherine bred and raced a daughter of Sabrehill (Diesis), Sixhills, whom she put in training with her long-time friend James Fanshawe. Sixhills was from a female line that had been cultivated by Catherine’s father Sir David Wills, tracing back more than half a century to the Bruce Hobbs-trained Marypark (Charlottown). She won three times, and has a number of notable descendants, including Group 1 Sydney Cup winner Selino (Champs Elysees) and Group 1 Prix du Cadran winner Invermark (Machiavellian).

Sixhills

At the age of 20, Marypark foaled a filly, Moidart (Electric), and James Fanshawe saddled her to win twice at three, latterly at Goodwood. At stud Moidart had six winning offspring, one of whom carried Catherine’s silks to victory in a listed race at Newmarket. Notably, all six of Moidart’s winners were fillies, and only two of her dozen progeny were colts. Sixhills was among the winners she produced.

Sixhills only raced at three, winning over 14 and a half furlongs at Kempton and placing second over 11 furlongs on her previous run. With no shortage of family members, Catherine chose to sell Sixhills in the 2002 Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale, and there she was purchased by Highflyer Bloodstock’s David Minton for 15,000gns. She was reoffered at the 2003 Tattersalls December Sale, carrying her first foal, but didn’t sell at 11,500gns.

That first foal, the gelding Imperial Hills (Imperial Ballet), was bred by Jackie Mullins, as were all of the 14 living offspring of Sixhills, and he was the first of her eight winners. Not surprisingly, all eight were trained by Jackie’s husband Willie. Imperial Hill’s full-brother Blackstairmountain (Imperial Ballet) was next, and he remains the best of them all. He was the highest-rated son or daughter of Sixhills, and her most prolific winner. Blackstairmountain was a Grade 1 winner over hurdles and fences, and most famously travelled to Japan and won the Nakayama Grand Jump Chase.

Beat Hollow

Two other foals out of Sixhills went on to win blacktype races, Diamond Hill and Mt Leinster, and both were by Beat Hollow (Sadler’s Wells). Diamond Hill gave the Mee family a hugely popular win at their local track Galway in a listed flat race, while Mt Leinster was a Grade B chase winner at Fairyhouse. Willie Mullins also saddled a granddaughter of Sixhills, Purple Mountain (Beat Hollow), to win a listed bumper at Gowran Park and a Grade 3 novice hurdle at Tipperary.

Why am I going into such detail about this family, especially in the middle of the flat season? Well, the trademark patience often shown by Willie Mullins has paid off yet again, and provided Sixhills with her eighth winner. The six-year-old mare Get It Girl (Jukebox Jury) started favourite for a five-runner bumper last October at Thurles, jumped a couple of paths during the race, stumbling on the second occasion, and only finished third.

We didn’t see Get It Girl again until Wexford last weekend, and she was second favourite on this occasion. She looked comfortable some way from home, and ultimately was a smooth winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares INH Flat Race. While she now has a valuable winning bracket, she looks well capable of going on to enjoy more successes before she retires to the breeding shed in due course. Some blacktype would make Get It Girl an even more alluring prospect for covering.

Jukebox Jury

In addition to having a most attractive female line, Get It Girl is another winner for the deceased Jukebox Jury (Montjeu). The sire is heading towards 300 individual winners on the racecourse, and that number will grow hugely in the years to come. His death at 19 last year was a blow to Burgage Stud and the industry, but his daughters will ensure that his legacy continues well after his last runners.

After all, one of his daughters has already been responsible for the Group 1 German Derby winner Fantastic Moon (Sea The Moon), and his first Irish-conceived crop only consists of seven-year-olds. The eight-year-old Il Etait Temps is his outstanding runner, and last season he won the Group 1 Tingle Creek Chase, Group 1 Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham, and rounded off with a five-length rout of Marine Nationale and others in the Group 1 Champion Chase at Punchestown.

Jukebox Jury, whose Group 1 wins came in the Preis von Europa and The Irish Field St Leger, has sired a number of very smart racemares. Group 1 Prix du Cadran winner Princesse Zoe immediately comes to mind, along with the champion bumper mare Bambino Fever. Nicky Henderson’s Holloway Queen won the National Hunt Challenge Cup Chase at Cheltenham in March on her most recent start.